(21-10-2016 10:29 AM)cactus Wrote: Sorry, could you explain this in layman's terms for me?

A great analogy that I've seen is that theism assumes a cartoon view of reality. Theism assumes that everything was created by a supreme consciousness in the same way that a cartoon is created by a master cartoonist. The master cartoonist controls all the action and characters in the cartoon just like the Christian God or the Jewish God or the Muslim God is said to control whatever comes to pass in reality. So reality is a cartoon and God is the master cartoonist and that can only lead to a subjective universe. Since the concept of truth rests exclusively on an objective view of the universe, theism is incompatible with truth.

(21-10-2016 02:47 PM)true scotsman Wrote: A great analogy that I've seen is that theism assumes a cartoon view of reality. Theism assumes that everything was created by a supreme consciousness in the same way that a cartoon is created by a master cartoonist. The master cartoonist controls all the action and characters in the cartoon just like the Christian God or the Jewish God or the Muslim God is said to control whatever comes to pass in reality. So reality is a cartoon and God is the master cartoonist and that can only lead to a subjective universe. Since the concept of truth rests exclusively on an objective view of the universe, theism is incompatible with truth.

The beautiful thing about his analogy is that it makes them angry and all butt hurt but it's a perfect analogy that fits their view of the world. As he says they take issue with the cartoon universe but have no problem with Paul's potter and clay analogy. Can you say selective outrage theists?

Do not lose your knowledge that man's proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mind and a step that travels unlimited roads. - Ayn Rand.

Don't sacrifice for me, live for yourself! - Me

The only alternative to Objectivism is some form of Subjectivism. - Dawson Bethrick

(21-10-2016 08:08 PM)true scotsman Wrote: More and more I'm starting to see them as victims of mind control, at least the ones who go door to door. The leaders I see as the truly evil ones.

Spot on, TS!

I'm an xJW, left around 15 years ago. Their (highly sophisticated) use of mind control is one of the clear signs they're a cult. And a particularly nasty little one, at that.

And yes, the ordinary JWs really are victims, or as I call them, the deceived. The leaders are the deceivers, and yes, they really are evil.

There's a story this week from Utah of a young mother dying because she refused a blood transfusion. The leaders know their teaching is wrong - both morally and scripturally - but are too proud and stubborn to admit they've been mistaken all these years. (After all, they claim they're god's sole representatives on earth!)

Plus, they're terrified of even more lawsuits from people whose relatives died for nothing after refusing a blood transfusion.* (There's already a long line of claims for child abuse working their way through the system.)

--

* It didn't help that the leadership - the 'Governing Body' - lied to ordinary JWs about the risks of transfusions. They grossly exaggerated the dangers of accepting a blood transfusion and callously misrepresented the effectiveness of the bloodless alternatives they recommended. If you've been in a motor accident and are losing a lot of blood, there is NO alternative.

Impendere, I'm so happy you escaped their clutches.

Do not lose your knowledge that man's proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mind and a step that travels unlimited roads. - Ayn Rand.

Don't sacrifice for me, live for yourself! - Me

The only alternative to Objectivism is some form of Subjectivism. - Dawson Bethrick